When our time in Roswell, New Mexico was over, we headed to Alamogordo, New Mexico. Our backyard under the stars, tucked next to the Sacramento Mountains, with a view of White Sands National Park in the distance, was located in Oliver Lee Memorial State Park. We arrived on April 20th and left on May 4th. We would have stayed longer but they were getting ready to renovate the bath house next to our site.
Oliver Lee Park has 44 sites some of which have electric and water. The campsites are far enough apart that we were not disturb by other campers.(The picture above is from our campsite.) The park has one bathhouse with 2 showers for women and 2 for men and one or two other bathrooms with vaulted toilet. The bathrooms where very clean and the park is well maintained.
The park is named for Oliver Lee who was an predominant rancher and state legislator in the late 1880's into the early 1900's. His ranch house at the mouth of Dog Canyon has been renovated and is open for guided tours on Saturday and Sunday. (While we visited OLMSP the ranch house and one
trail was closed for improvements.)
Abundant plants, animals, and flowing water attracted the Apaches to this canyon. During the 19th century the US Cavalry shot at the Apaches and driving them up the ravine and out of the area.
This rock with a circular hole is evidence left behind from the Native Americans who lived in this area.
There is a 5.5 mile hike that leads up Dog Canyon to some ruins. We were told by Mrs. Anna Maria that the views were spectacular. We didn't take the hike because it is listed as strenuous, rocky, and steep.
Dog Canyon was also home to a man by the name of Francois-Jean Rochas otherwise known as Frenchy.
Before arriving at Dog Canyon, Frenchy was thought to be the carpenter who built the miraculous spiral staircase at the Santa Fe Loretto Chapel and two other staircases in the area. Supposedly, he arrived by train in the Alamogordo area in the early 1880's.
We walked around the remains of Frenchy's cabin.
This adobe addition was a shed that was added onto the original rock-walled cabin. When the site was excavated in 1978, the archaeologist found cans of condensed milk, sardines, canned fruits and veggies in the shed. Also found were medicine bottles, 13 of them were Radway's Ready Relief and the others were Perry Davis' PainKiller. It is still a mystery as to why he needed the medicine. (Interesting note, Mark Twain mentions Davis' PainKiller in his book Tom Sawyer and calls it "simply fire in liquid form".) During the excavation, the archaeologists found several carpenter tools, arrowheads, and other objects that are on display in the parks visitor center.
This is a detailed picture of the adobe walls. It is fascinating to look at the walls up close and see the rocks, glass, and other materials that were mixed in to hold the mud together. Wonder what made this circle? Could it have been a rock? Ummm. Wonder who removed it?
This rock wall leads up the canyon that contains several other rock walls that Frenchy made by hand. Story goes that while building these walls, he was ambushed by a former employee who he fired and had arrested for horse thieving. Frenchy retreated into his cabin where he defended himself as the man broke down the door to kill him. Frenchy wounded the man, which was never heard from again, and recovered from his wounds. The rock walls and his cabin have stood for over 100 years.
During the early 1890's, Oliver Lee moved onto this land and started building his ranch. He and Frenchy feuded over land boundaries and water rights. Frenchy had started planting a vineyard within his rock wall. Oliver Lee started digging a ditch for irrigation which crossed into Frenchy's vineyard. Frenchy was found dead in 1894, a year after Oliver Lee started ranching this area. It is suspected that Lee had some people take care of his problem. It was never proven that Oliver Lee committed the crime or was involved. Frenchy's murder went unsolved. (Lee was indicted for a previous murder
of his boyhood friend, George MacDonald, but it was never brought to trial. Lee was also thought to be involved in a shooting in 1896. When Pat Garrett and his posse went to kill Lee, they were surprised to find Lee and his partner on the roof of the house they just entered instead of inside where they were firing. Lee returned fire killing the deputy and when brought to trial in 1898 he was found not guilty. ) Wonder who killed the recluse carpenter who live and work at base of Dog Canyon?
We were blest to enjoy the view that Frenchy and Oliver Lee enjoyed over 100 years ago. Frenchy's cabin is in the bottom right corner of this photo. The suns rays beaming down on Frenchy's cabin look like a staircase to Heaven. Beautiful!!
Not far from Frenchy's cabin, the park has made a Desert Cactus Garden.
The garden has a diverse selection of native plants.
The flower from a Rainbow Cactus.
If the dust was not swirling around, we were able to enjoy the sun setting on the Sacramento Mountains facing west.
Or we could move our chairs to the front of the bus and watch the sun set in the western sky over the Organ and San Andreas Mountains. Either way it was a special way to end the day at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park.
If you find yourself in Alamogordo, NM stop by Olive Lee Memorial State park and enjoy its history and sun sets.
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